


Speed Dating

by anotherfngrl



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23625037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherfngrl/pseuds/anotherfngrl
Summary: Malcolm agrees to go to a speed dating event to catch a killer. When the killer's caught beforehand, Jessica and Gil make him go anyway.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright & Jessica Whitly
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2020





	Speed Dating

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cornerofmadness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornerofmadness/gifts).



> This was comment fic for the prompt, "why are you in a job where you get hurt every case?"

Malcolm cannot believe that it has come to this, but he's _speed dating._ They'd suspected it was how the killer was meeting his victims, at exclusive, high end speed dating events.

The plan had been to get Malcolm in as a participant so he could watch for tells. It had been a solid plan- he was confident that his profile would have made it easy to spot the killer.

And he's positive his profile was right, because when a cop had stopped their guy on the street after he dropped his cash outside an ATM this morning, he had confessed everything.

That was this guy's weakness, after all. He needed other people's input about every choice he made. It was why he'd tried speed dating- trying to transform himself into the man the girls wanted, reinventing himself at each ding of the bell.

It was why he'd taken them, to see how his new persona would hold up. And it was why he'd killed them, because they'd been unsatisfied with his latest attempt at his "best self".

It was also why the guy had confessed, the first time anyone in law enforcement got near him. He'd needed their opinions and validation of his murders. Malcolm inwardly curses him, for being so predictably spineless. He'd even guessed the man might be a life coach, for a pyramid scheme- desperately buying into anything that might validate him.

As it stands, Malcolm is almost as angry at their suspect for confessing as he is at him for committing the crimes in the first place, because while the rest of the team is interviewing their serial killer, he's doing _this._

"Don't slouch, dear, you're short enough as it is," his mother tells him, pulling his shoulders back and dusting imaginary lint from them.

"Thank you, Mother," he says sarcastically, wishing he could retreat from her in the small space of the car.

She'd absolutely insisted he attend the evening even though their case was closed. Partially because she'd called old friends to get him in and his not showing up would throw off the numbers and reflect badly on her. And partially because she wanted him to meet someone.

Gil had actually backed her up. He reminded Malcolm that this was not the first time they'd relied on Jessica's society connections for a case, and that it would be in the team's best interests to stay on her good side. When that hadn't worked, he'd gone all "dad mode" and told Malcolm that he expected him to honor his commitments, and be gracious to the women he met tonight. And that he, too, was hoping Malcolm would meet someone nice.

So Gil had pulled him away from interrogation and case wrap up and dropped him in the eager clutches of his mother, who'd fussed over his hair and dumped him into a new suit (thankfully not white this time) and was now personally escorting him to the event.

"Try not to talk about work, dear. I know you enjoy it, but the things you do can be a bit... frightening for the rest of us," his Mother tells him. He'd like to snap at her, but her eyes go far away, remembering Laszar, remembering the Carousel Killer, maybe even his father, and he doesn't have the heart to upset her further.

That doesn't mean he isn't now determined to talk about nothing _but_ his work.

Gil and his mom want him to find someone, right? Well, his job is a big part of who he is. He can't possibly be with someone who doesn't understand that. The fact that it will likely keep him from winding up on anyone's round two list and thus let him escape early is just a side benefit. And not much of one, when his mother informs him that she'll be back to pick him up promptly when the event ends, and he'd best be there.

Malcolm quietly approves of the setup, once he's inside. Each round has two one minute timers. Time for each person to share and answer questions. He's sure it prevents more timid speed daters from being spoken over all night and leaving feeling disheartened. After each round, participants rate their date up or down in the app. Mutual "ups" have five minute chats at the end, and those without any mutuals are mixed randomly for the five minute sections, if they so choose. When they finish those chats, they get to decide yes or no on their "dates". Yes's are sent contact information for their match 24 hours after the date, once they're no longer together.

Malcolm is sure this system also cuts down on pushy men bullying girls into giving out their numbers at the end of the night. He quietly approves, though he loathes the idea of participating himself.

He's surprised to discover one flaw, though- after round one, before round two, while the system is matching people for the five minute chats, it shows how many ups a person has.

That system leads him to rate a few of the women he speaks to in round one up- quiet girls he's sure haven't liked him, but who he doesn't want feeling bad during the matching process.

He's already decided when round one ends that he's uninterested in staying for the random matches. He's talked about nothing but police work- none of these women are going to want to talk further.

He's very surprised then, during the matching phase, to see that he has three ups. He's even more surprised when one of them is mutual and he's instructed to return to his table for round two.

The girl's name is Emily, and she's very sweet. He remembers she's a marine biologist, particularly concerned with manetee conservation.

He's got to convince her he's bad news, so she feels like not continuing was her idea. She draws one of the "conversation starter" cards they've been given and asks about a time he felt alive.

He figures explosions will be a deal breaker for sure, and tells her about his first case with Gil and the Count of Monte Cristo case.

She listens attentively, then asks him, "Why are you in a job where you get hurt every case?"

Malcolm sits back. He had not been prepared for the question. She's only heard his horror stories. "It's not that dramatic, really," he assures her.

"Then tell me about a case where you weren't hurt," she requests.

He tells her about the deprogrammer.

"I think letting an untrained man give you electroshock therapy counts," she tells him.

He wracks his brain trying to think of another example. He slowly realizes he can't. There's some kind of damage every case, either physical or psychological. He's stunned to realize she's right.

"I never really thought about it that way," he tells her, looking at her with new respect. She's a clever one, alright. He might actually like her.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Malcolm. You're cute. And it's refreshing to meet someone who is as passionate about their work as I am about mine. And our mothers served on the hospital board together. But I'm not interested in waiting around for a call telling me if you're alive or not at the end of every case," she tells him regretfully.

"Emily, it's not like that. My job is dangerous, yes," he tells her.

"Do any of your teammates get hurt as often as you do?" she asks.

"Of course not!" Malcolm jumps on the mine, chases the guy through the exotic animal warehouse, doesn't call for backup before chasing the serial killer all for the same reason. So his teammates make it home safe.

"Then I don't think it's the job, Malcolm. I think it's you," she tells him, and the timer dings.

She gives him a sympathetic look. "I'm not going to send you my number. But if you ever get that self destruction thing under control, have your mother call mine," she tells him, kissing him on the cheek before leaving.

Malcolm sits there, stunned, for a long moment before getting up and exiting the hotel, unsurprised when his mother's car pulls up to the curb just as his call connects.

"How was it dear? Did you meet anyone nice?" Mother asks.

"One girl gave me a lot to think about," Malcolm admits. "I'm going to call Gil. I need to talk to you both," he says.

Gil picks up on the second ring. "You finish your dates already, kid?" he asks. Malcolm puts him on speaker. "There's nothing left to do at the office Malcolm. Go home," he adds.

"I will," Malcolm assures him. "I just... It's just been pointed out to me that I take a lot of risks. Risks other consultants, even detectives, don't. And some of the time, it saves lives. But I think... I think I've been doing some of it because I want to _feel_ like I'm helping, more than because it's the best way to help."

The car is quiet.

"Maybe you should keep sending him speed dating, Jessica. This is better than therapy, and probably cheaper!" Gil jokes.

"It certainly isn't. I paid over $1,000 to get him in last minute. And it was worth every penny, for that realization alone. Malcolm, dear, please tell me you got the girl who made you think this way's number," his mother implores.

"I didn't. But she said if I got myself sorted out, you knew her mom and I could ask for it. Emily?" he asks his mother.

"The one who's obsessed with dolphins. Lovely girl. Though I'm surprised she caught your eye," his mother says. It's true- he usually goes for the kind of take charge women who command every road they enter. And he refuses to acknowledge anything Freudian about that.

But Emily, different though she had been, _had_ caught his eye. Not when he'd initially selected her, but later, when they'd begun talking.

"Do you _want_ her number, kid?" Gil asks him, sounding hopeful.

"I think so," Malcolm admits.

"Then I guess it's time we make you a little less disaster prone," Gil tells him, pleased.

"I wholly support that idea," his mother agrees.

Malcolm thinks he does, too.


End file.
